Meat Goats

Goat meat is consumed across the world, however it isn't traditionally sold in U.S. marketplaces. However, goat is a popular choice in many cultures that reside in the United States and there is still a market for the products. Meat goats are a good option for small farms who may not profit from larger livestock. 

Meat Goat Breeds

As discussed prior, the meat goat breeds include:

Topics to Consider

Land Requirements

Knowing how many animals your land can support is crucial to determining if meat goats could work for you. One acre of well managed land can accommodate approximately 1,000 lbs of animal. The size of your animals will determine just how much land you need for your entire herd. 

Fencing

Goats require tight fencing. Proper fencing is important to keeps goats & kids contained and keep potential predators out. Fencing can be 5 strand high-tensile wire, field fencing with one electric wire, or smaller goat fencing. It is important to keep goats from climbing on the fence or sticking their head through, particularly if they have horns. 

Facilities

Like all livestock, goats need some type of shelter. If you are going to have a herd to manage, some type of working facilities will be important. These facilities may include various sorting pens and a chute. Show goats should have a clean area they can be placed after washing. 

Nutrition & Health

Preventative health will be important on a goat operation. This includes a routine vaccination program as well as treatment for internal parasites. You should plan to establish a relationship with a veterinarian that treats small ruminants in order to have access to care for your animals. 

Breeding & Selection

You might plan to start your own herd of meat goats to raise show prospects or marketable animals. You should plan to breed for multiple births, rapid growth, good conformation, and attention to breed standards (color, size, etc.). Does are pregnant for approximately 150 days (5 months)  and kids are weaned at two to three months of age. Generally a producer will keep a few replacement does each season or every few seasons in order to maintain and improve their herd.

Marketing

Ultimately, the end goal of a meat goat project is processing the animal. Typically, this would be done in a fair auction setting. However, you may decide to raise meat goats for your own production enterprise. In this case you'll need to find a market to sell your animals. Since goat meat isn't available commercially, you'll have to determine when those who consume it really want it. Demand could be related to ethnic holidays or celebrations, or simply times of the year. Animals could be sold at auction or directly to consumers.